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Ebola workers plan strike

Aggrieved employees of an Ebola Treatment Unit in Bopolu, Gbarpolu County have threatened to protest in the county, if the Ministry of Labour did not intervene to address their concerns.

A spokesperson for the group of workers Momolu Dukuly, told our Gbarpolu County correspondent that a total of 102 aggrieved works will be involved in the strike if the Ministry of Labor (MOL) failed to probe into the deduction of between 84 to 100 United States dollars from their monthly wages by the management of Boyasay Incorporated, sub-contracted by the Pacific Architecture Engineering or PAE.

According to Momolu, since they were employed by Boyasay Incorporated on December 28, 2014, management has been deducting this amount of money directly from their monthly salaries as Income Tax and social security at the rate of 18 percent.

He said management told them the deductions represented housing, transportation and hazard benefits.

Momolu said the protest was being planned to draw the attention of the Labor Ministry about the growing disenchantment amongst the workforce before things go off hands in the county.

He claimed the Boyasay Management has refused to give them copies of the contractual agreement reached with them, which has not been attested by the Labour Ministry.

The aggrieved workers also accused Boyasay Incorporated of paying them without unadulterated pay slips to indicate the deduction since management was not paying them in checks.

Momolu said a total of US$8,568.00 is deducted from their monthly salaries, which multiplied by seven months totaled US$59,976.00.

He said with the closure of the Ebola Treatment Unit by the P.A.E and the subsequent demolition of the facility, the workers were seriously concerned about their benefits, adding, there is very limited time left for their contract to be terminated by the entity.

Momolu added that management has already terminated the services of 42 of their colleagues without any identification cards, insurance documents or contractual papers.

When our correspondent contacted the recruitment officer for Boyasay Incorporated, Mulbah Dwana, last Thursday in Bopolu for comment, he declined to speak on the matter.

In a related development, a missing medical supplies case recently reported to the Gbarpolu County Crime Services Department (CSD) of the Liberian National Police by the Site Manager of P.A.E Mr. Allen Shaic, has been withdrawn without any arrest in connection with the theft.

The Pacific Architecture Engineering Company Site Manager alarmed that on May 15, 2015, over 974 Personal Protective Suits Hooded Cover marked ‘5-L’ stockpile in the ETU warehouse was reduced to 855 boxes.

He also disclosed that on the same date of the incident, 17,019 boxes of Infusion kept at the warehouse were also reduced to 16,019 boxes, respectively.

Allen added 1,350 cartons of soap used to clean the Ebola Treatment Unit were reduced to 900 boxes, while a total of 2,075 Hydration Dextrose 500ML kept in the warehouse was also reduced to 200 boxes.

There has been no arrested in connection with these missing items up to press time. Edited by Jonathan Browne